'Sista P' Would Appoint Qualified Jamaican Rainbow Peeps To Her Cabinet

In the post I wrote discussing the landslide December 29 election of Portia Simpson Miller and her PNP party back into power after four years as the Official Opposition,  I asked the question what the election would mean for the island's TBLG community.

I may have a hint of what might be on the horizon courtesy of Rod 2.0  and this video from a December 20 campaign debate between herself and then PM Andrew Holness..

A question was asked by a journalist in reference to the infamous 2008 "Gays would never serve in his cabinet " statement by former PM Bruce Golding if either candidate would appoint a gay person to their cabinet..

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DCCCD Passes Trans Inclusive Policy!

There's good news to report out of Dallas this evening concerning the proposed expansion of DCCCD nondiscrimination policy.  

The Dallas County Community College District Board of Trustees at this afternoon's board meeting passed on a 4-1 vote the expansion of DCCCD policy for students and employees with the inclusion of gender identity and expression language.

The new language that modifies one employee and two student nondiscrimination policies will take effect March 1 and they join the Houston area's San Jacinto Community College System and the Houston Community College System in doing so.  

The Dallas County Community College District is one of the largest community college districts in the state of Texas with over 85,000 students and 25,000 enrolled in continuing education courses.

There were two trustees absent from this meeting and the lone NO vote came from District 4 trustee Bill Metzger.  In case you peeps in the Metroplex are wondering when you'll get your chance to show your displeasure with his vote on this issue at the ballot box, unfortunately you'll have to wait until 2016 to do so. 

Trustee Diana Flores told the Dallas Voice that the calls and letters to the Board of Trustees received in favor of this policy expansion are what made the difference in terms of the successful vote in enacting this positive human rights advance.

So for those of you who called, wrote, spoke in front of the Board of Trustees or showed up at DCCCD headquarters wearing pink clothing in solidarity of this policy change, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to do so and give yourself a well deserved pat on the back. 

You can bet the eyes of the DFW Metroplex and the rest of the Lone Star State will be on the Dallas County Community College District to ensure the policy the Board of Trustees voted affirmatively on is implemented as expeditiously as possible at all of its campuses.

A human rights expansion sure is a nice way to get 2012 started.

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DCCCD Policy Vote Today

With the new year comes the first news about an effort to advance human rights for the rainbow community of Texas.

Up I-45 from me the Dallas County Community College District board will hold their meeting today.  On the agenda will be the expansion of DCCCD nondiscrimination policies that cover employees and two student ones to include gender identity and gender expression.

DCCCD is seeking to join San Jacinto Community College and the Houston Community College District as Lone Star State institutions that have similar gender identity and expression language in their nondiscrimination policies.
  
The proposed policy expansion will come up for a board vote at this meeting and the good folks up there in the Metroplex would like to fill the room with supportive people not only willing to speak affirmatively for it but also wear pink to indicate they are in favor of the policy change.  

If you can be there or have time in your busy lives to do so the DCCCD administration building is located at 1601 South Lamar St.   It is south of Downtown Dallas and near both South Side on Lamar and the Dallas PD HQ.  The Cedars DART Rail station on the DART Rail Red and Blue lines is a few blocks away and the DART 26 bus line runs by it with service to and from the nearby DART Rail Cedars station. 

There is a free parking lot across the street from the DCCCD headquarters building, so if you can make it please show up at the DCCCD board meeting in pink and support what we hope will be the first policy victory in the nation for 2012

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HCC Board Unanimously Passes Trans Protections

The Houston Community College Board of Trustees according to a report in Houstini.com unanimously voted to add gender identity and expression to the college's system wide non-discrimination policy

The trans protections were considered as part of a package of non-controversial policy proposals voted on during last week's HCC Board of Trustees meeting.

HCC joins the San Jacinto Community College System as the second Houston area community college system that amended its non discrimination policy to protect its trans students

The Dallas County Community College District is scheduling a meeting in January to vote on an amendment to its non discrimination policy.  
 

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4th Annual TTNS To Be Held At UH-Clear Lake

With us being two weeks away from the start of 2012, it's time to start saving the dates of the various conferences and events you may wish to know about or simply attend in order to become better educated about and be a better advocate for the transgender community.

One of the events I've had the pleasure of taking part in since I've come back home is the Texas Transgender Non-Discrimination Summit.   So what's the purpose of the TTNS?   Glad you asked.

Basically it's a strategy sharing event in which we spend two days discussing how we get inclusive transgender rights ensconced in the policies of Texas colleges and universities and other learning institutions. 

We talk about what works and what doesn't work in terms of creating effective changes to policy on those campuses to protect transgender faculty, staff, students,and allies.   . 

You get the benefits of making connections with people across the state who are already doing this important work and learning fromtheir successes and experiences, gaininsights and create a supportive network of like-minded individuals andinstitutions.

So where and when will it be held in 2012?   The dates for the 4th annual TTNS will be July 20-21 and it will be held on the campus of the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

The event will be hosted by the UHCL International Intercultural Student Services(IISS)-Women’s and GLBT Resource Centerat UH-Clear Lake. :

Registration for the TTNS is $10 forstudents and $20 for others wishing to attend

If you need additional info:

Email txtgsummit@gmail.com for info andregistration.
Correspondence: TTNS P. O. Box 1095 Baytown, Texas 77522

Phone 832-409-3363

And yes, Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will beavailable for LBSW, LMSW, LCSW, LPC, and LMFT (CEUs cost $10). 

Will definitely be keeping people updated on the Texas Transgender Non-Discrimination Summit as the July 20-21 date draws closer. 

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